Dacorum

Dacorum's population increased by about 7,000 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 140,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Dacorum increased by 5.1%, from almost 138,000 to 145,000.

The addition of just over 7,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Dacorum was home to, on average, 4.9 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Dacorum

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Dacorum increased by two years, from 38 to 40 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than Eastof England and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 2,700 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 2,000.

About 10.0% of people in Dacorum are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Dacorum by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

Dacorum saw Eastof England's second-largest rise in the proportion of one-person households.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28.8%) households in Dacorum had only one person, compared with 27.1% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising an unmarried couple increased from 8.9% to 10.5%.

Across the region, only East Hertfordshire saw a greater rise in the proportion of one-person households (from 25.8% to 27.8%).

During this period, Dacorum went from having the 30th-highest to the 18th-highest percentage of one-person households out of 309 English local authority areas.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Dacorum residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.4% to 4.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84.4%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 73.3% in 2001. The percentage of Dacorum residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20.3% to 11.6%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Dacorum decreased by 2.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Dacorum, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Dacorum

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Dacorum was among those who said they had no religion, rising 11.9 points.

In 2011, 31.9% of respondents in Dacorum gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 20.0% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.2% to 30.0%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Dacorum, 62.8% said they were Christian, compared with 76.8% in 2001. About 0.1% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 8.7% to 8.0%.

In Dacorum, 7.5% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 8.0% in 2001. In East, 7.3% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Dacorum increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East and Dacorum by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Dacorum

The percentage of Dacorum residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 7.2% to 7.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.3% in 2001. The percentage of Dacorum residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.5% to 89.7%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 6.9% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Dacorum that rented privately increased from 5.6% to 11.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in five (21.8%) households lived in social housing, compared with 22.7% in 2001. The percentage of Dacorum households that owned their home decreased from 70.2% to 64.9%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.6% in 2001 to 14.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Dacorum increased by 6.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Dacorum, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

The percentage of married people fell in Dacorum at a faster rate than in St Albans (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Dacorum).

In Dacorum, the proportion of married people decreased from 55.1% in 2001 to 50.0% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby St Albans decreased from 55.6% to 54.3%.

Across Eastof England, the share of married people decreased from 54.2% to 49.9%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Dacorum increased from 27.0% to 31.4%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 10.4% to 11.9%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Dacorum

In 2011, 4.7% of Dacorum residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 2.4% in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.8% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 90.8% of people in Dacorum said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 95.5% in 2001. About 2.1% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.2% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.7% to 2.1%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Dacorum increased by 2.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Dacorum by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Dacorum residents that were unemployed increased from 2.3% to 3.7% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (56.4%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 57.9% in 2001. The percentage of Dacorum residents that were self-employed increased from 9.9% to 11.7%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Dacorum increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Dacorum, Eastof England and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Dacorum working less than 16 hours increased from 1.9% to 3.0% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in nine (11.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 14.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.9% in 2001 to 2.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Dacorum increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Dacorum, Eastof England and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Dacorum residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.5% to 1.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.8%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.8% in 2001 to 2.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Dacorum remained close to 1.9%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Dacorum by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Dacorum without children remained close to 59.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (31.1%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 31.6% in 2001. While the percentage of households in Dacorum with only adult children living with their parents increased from 9.8% to 9.9%.

The proportion of households without children increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (which remained close to 60.8%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61.2%.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

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